O. morio
was first described by Paulus and Kreutz from Larnaca
(Cyprus) in 2004 and it takes its name from its pollinator
Andrena morio.

This
species is only known with certainty from Cyprus but is
thought likely to be present also in southern Anatolia. O. morio is one of four similar O. mammosa group members that occur in Cyprus, the others being O. alasiatica,O. herae and O. mammosa
itself. When these species appear in their typical forms thay can be
separated
relatively easily, unfortunately however there is a high degree of
both natural variation and interbreeding. This interbreeding has
created hybrid colonies containing intermediate plants showing
genetic influence
from any and sometimes all of the above species.

Most members of the O. mammosa group are believed to be the results of sympatric and/or parapatric speciation with O. mammosa at
its core. In the case of the Cyprus representatives
where the species grow in close proximity, the
former method would seem to be the obvious process by which the species
developed and distinguishing them can often be difficult.

O. morio
in its typical form has several characteristics that help differentiate
it:- 1. The beak at the end of the
column is considerably longer than in the other species. 2.
The base of the stigmatic cavity is very constricted. 3. The margins of the dorsal sepal are often rolled
inwards giving it a very narrow appearance. 4.
The perianth segments (sepals, petals etc) are elongated.

The illustrations are all from Cyprus and date from the first week of March.